Refine Your Routine with 40+ Expert Skin Care Tips

If you have dry skin, including winter-air-induced dry skin, you may exfoliate more than usual, but you should still keep it to once or twice a week – max. Exfoliation can be used after cleanser but before moisturizer, as it helps to removes flaky skin by increasing skin cell turnover. Night creams, skin care on the other hand, focus on repairing any damage you might have picked up with ingredients like retinol to speed cellular turnover and counteract dark spots. These creams also replenish moisture levels, which naturally dip in the evening, with emollients that often create a rich, thick texture.

That’s because the technical term for a pore is a “comedone,” Dr. Eldik says, and acne is the result of a clogged pore. “Any product that irritates or clogs the pores can stimulate the cascade of acne,” he explains. So basically, the goal if you’re acne-prone is to avoid thick makeup, sunscreen, or lotion products that might clog your pores—look for that “non-comedogenic” wording on the product packaging.

Over-the-counter topical scar treatments don’t have a ton of evidence behind them, unfortunately. Moisturizing—almost to an excessive degree—and time. If that doesn’t help, you should chat with a dermatologist about your other options, which may include prescription topical treatments or laser treatments.

To figure out your skin type, think about how your skin acts without any makeup or products on it a few hours after taking a shower. If it gets a little greasy or shiny, you probably have oily skin. “Most people have a combination, with oily areas around the nose and chin in a typical pattern,” she adds. It might also be possible that you don’t have any of these types, which means most skin-care products will be safe to use on your skin.

Plus if you’re trying to manage that condition, you can only go so far with over-the-counter products. Sometimes they can get the job done , but you want to be sure that you’re not overlooking another option that may be more effective, like a prescription retinoid. As we mentioned above, cosmetic skin-care ingredients don’t go through FDA testing before they hit the market, so we don’t have data on how effective or safe each over-the-counter product is. Many companies make claims about their products based on the ingredients that are in the product, which may or may not be similar to the ingredients used in scientific research.

When you’re pregnant, you might notice many changes in your skin, such as pregnancy-related acne, a hormonal effect of excess oil production, or, even more commonly, hyperpigmentation. Basically, unless you’re using a prescription treatment, it’s tough to know what you’re actually getting when, so it always pays to weigh the potential risks and benefits before putting something new on your skin. Your best bet is to spend money on products containing active ingredients with the most promising research behind them.

Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay natural aging and prevent various skin problems. If you have multiple concerns, you might want to use multiple formulas. “I recommend treating different areas with different products,” Mattioli says.

Keep your skin hydrated head-to-toe as the weather turns. Would you like to add this product to one of your existing subscriptions? Otherwise, just add product to cart to get it delivered separately. Skin care differs from dermatology by its inclusion of non-physician professionals, such as estheticians and wound care nursing staff. Skin care includes modifications of individual behavior and of environmental and working conditions. Skin care is at the interface of cosmetics and dermatology.